20/03/2025 | 16:50:24 Dear colleagues, We are going on now. I would like to ask the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine, dear Ruslan, would you like to respond to the debate that.. no? Okay, thank you so much. I want to thank you all for participating in this first round in a general issue which is always on our daily agenda as parliamentarians. We are going now to theme number two: "Guaranteeing freedom of expression in times of polarisation and uncertainty". I refer you to the background papers that have... 20/03/2025 | 11:25:36 We shall begin our proceedings with our first theme, "Safeguarding democracy". This theme is of direct concern to us as representatives of the people. Democracy in Europe faces several major risks: weakening of democratic counterparts; erosion of democratic standards and safeguards; erosion of trust in political institutions; the spread of disinformation and misinformation; external pressure including hybrid threats, cyber attacks and foreign interference in democratic processes. As European... 20/03/2025 | 11:23:43 I now invite you to adopt the agenda of our Conference, which will be divided, as I said earlier, into three themes. Our first theme is entitled "Safeguarding democracy". Later this afternoon at around 4:30 p.m. we will start the discussions of our second theme on "Guaranteeing freedom of expression in times of polarisation and uncertainty". And tomorrow morning, we shall be dealing with the third and the last theme of the Conference entitled "Violence against politicians". At the end of our... 20/03/2025 | 11:05:58 Dear colleagues, I am Theodoros ROUSOPOULOS. I'm the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. I want to warmly welcome you for accepting my invitation to be with us today. Dear colleagues, Those of you gathered here today have travelled a long and demanding path in politics. For years you have worked with dedication on challenges and earned the trust of your fellow citizens, securing election and re-election. Many of you have attained the highest parliamentary office... 31/01/2025 | 12:15:08 Thank you, Margo. Thank you, and especially for sharing this very interesting and intimate moment about your father. So, dear colleagues, The next item on today’s agenda is the debate on the Progress Report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee Doc. 16096 and Addendum 5. Are there any objections to these references? No objections. The references are approved. The references to committees proposed by the Bureau, as amended, are ratified. The references to committees proposed by the... 31/01/2025 | 12:08:03 Dear Mister Bergeron, thank you so much for being with us. We wish you all the best for you, your family, and the next plans that you have. Canada is very close always to the Council of Europe, and with this occasion I would like to thank the government of Canada, the State of Canada that participates in this Assembly, which is very important for us, not only because we want our voice to be heard, but because we know that your state has been serving democracy and has been exercising democracy... 31/01/2025 | 11:41:36 Thank you, Mister President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, and I personally thank you for your wishes, your nice words, and of course for supporting me being elected for the second time as the President of this Assembly. Allow me to thank not only you personally, but all colleagues being present, because usually Friday is a day very difficult for everybody. I understand that most of the parliamentarians have to go back to their parliaments. For example, all the Greek... 30/01/2025 | 12:14:24 Thank you. Dear colleagues, Before I open the debate, I just want you to know that at the gallery there are people coming from Ukraine. Among them there are many who were captured and kept by the Russian troops. I had the opportunity to talk to them earlier in my office – I'm talking about the people from Ukraine. The Russian troops did not respect the Geneva Convention. There's a journalist who was captured, a soldier and others. Among them there is a young woman, she's 26, Lenya. When she... 30/01/2025 | 10:29:56 I hope that I will express all members of this Parliamentary Assembly by saying that some of your words were like music to my ears, especially at these crucial times where we have to protect all principles that this Council of Europe is built for. I'm really glad and proud that you have connected the works of William Shakespeare with the works of this Parliamentary Assembly, especially today. And of course, I'm glad that the mission of extinguishing lawyers is not completed. Thank you so much... 30/01/2025 | 10:07:48 Good morning. The sitting is open. I remind members that they should insert their badge before taking the floor. As you begin your speech, dear colleagues, please press the microphone “request” button once only, wait a couple of seconds, and then start your speech. The first item of business this morning is a debate under urgent procedure on “Opinion on a draft convention for the protection of the profession of lawyer” (Document 16094 and Document 16102) presented by Mr Vladimir VARDANYAN on...